Chizue and Shino: Romance Arc
by DruidaDecidesToWrite
Summary: Chizue Yuki (OC) is an ex-Black Ops from Village Hidden in the Sand. She was sent to Village Hidden in the Leaves to help teach a specialty class on needles and chakra points. Up until now, she'd never had friends. Now she has several- and some very confusing feelings about them.


_This is cross-posted to an account with the same name on AO3. This was written with my OC- Chizue Yuki. I will be writing more with her but this is just the first I've completed! I hope you enjoy!_

Chizue Yuki lounged gracefully on a branch- high in a tree. She had been in the leaf village for several weeks and was grateful for the day off. The Kazekage had thankfully pulled her from the black-ops and sent her on a diplomatic mission. The Hokage had apparently asked for someone skilled in unusual battle techniques and chakra points. She had to admit that she was skilled in both- but the mission of teaching an elective course was not her cup of tea. She sighed- they didn't really need the chakra teaching from her since the Hyuga clan was part of the Leaf. The course was going well- most of the Jonin were too busy to participate- but a few Chunin joined a large amount of Genin and academy students. She had also been achieving her secondary mission of documenting how the academy system was built and run. Still- only the Hokage had been briefed on her abilities fully. She was teaching with forged needles and not her usual ice. She was grateful that the Hokage trusted her enough to not assign a tail.

She looked sadly down. Below her on the forest floor were two young shinobi. She had followed one of them- Tenten. Chizue closed her eyes briefly and allowed herself to reminiscence.

_It was her first day in the village and Chizue wandered the town attempting to find a good spot to drink her tea. She had no one to train with so she had resigned herself to simply reading up on battle strategy. She sensed a speeding shinobi to the side of her. She quickly sidestepped and turned. A kunoichi flashed past her toward the training grounds. The shinobi turned to laugh at the next blur that was chasing her. Chizue caught her breath at the smile- this was a weird feeling. She tried to place the girl but she had no memory of having met her before. A voice echoed from behind her and to the side, "Tenten be careful- you almost hit someone." _

_The girl's friend stopped on top of a house, Chizue studied him for a second- Byakugan- a Hyuga. No wonder he knew what had happened. Tenten turned and saw Chizue- with a surprised look on her face. She jogged back over and bowed, "I'm very sorry if I almost ran over you- I was looking forward to training. I'm Tenten." _

_Tenten looked up and smiled warmly. Chizue blushed and spoke, "It's fine. I saw you- I'm Chizue from the Hidden Sand- please enjoy your training." She bowed briefly and flashed away from the pair. Instead of reading her book she had spent the day trying to figure out the odd sensation in her stomach. _

Weeks had passed since that first encounter and Chizue had finally realized she liked Tenten. She had run into her a few other times and her energy, kindness, and strength had made quite the impression. Chizue had never felt these butterflies before. Her mind flashed briefly back to when she was 13. Her mother had sat her down to explain what happens as you get older- including falling in love and that some like girls and some liked boys. Chizue had scoffed at the idea- she was too busy for feelings. At 13 she had been preparing for the eventuality of Chunin. She was developing her Kekkei Genkai. Feelings were for the other teenagers. She didn't even speak to her teammates outside of training- not that they wanted to. Her next encounters with Tenten were full of awkwardness and fleeting greetings. She observed Tenten with the other members of the community She smiled easily but was fierce during training. She seemed to care deeply for her friends- and readily accepted the shinobi from other lands. It perplexed Chizue the first time Tenten had invited her to train with her. Tenten treated her like a friend- Chizue had even invited her to help with a demonstration for her class. The students had been impressed with both shinobi and the precision that the needles had struck the padding surrounding Tenten.

Chizue had followed Tenten today with the intention of asking her on a date. Something she had been very nervous about. She had acted on a whim after speaking with Tenten before she took off quickly. Chizue had been late trying to call her friend back and it took too long for her to catch up. By the time she had caught up, she realized that Tenten wasn't alone. She had stopped to observe and was surprised to see she was with Neji. At first, she thought they may be training and waited- but now it was clear they were on a date. The two were sitting on a picnic blanket, eating sandwiches, and flirting.

Chizue was surprised Neji hadn't sensed her- but it was one of the abilities that had landed her in the black-ops. She had been in the tree for probably 10 minutes trying to process the ache that had formed in her. This feeling was familiar; yet still more painful than the rejection she faced from her peers.

She caught a movement land on the branch slightly below her. A shinobi wearing long sleeves, hooded coat, and shades was standing there. She couldn't read his eyes through the shades but something about his body language reminded her of her own feelings. She hadn't seen him before but he wore a leaf headband. Before she could say anything to him, he spoke quietly, "You too huh? It would seem we were too late. They told me a sand shinobi was in town. I didn't expect to find you here."

Chizue felt ashamed at her own rejection and indignant at his cold tone. Who was he to judge her? He had followed one of them too. She narrowed her eyes at him and harshly whispered, "Yes we were too late. But I haven't seen you around the village. So you seem especially late."

Shino eyed her briefly, he felt bad for her and himself. "Well no point standing here torturing ourselves. We better leave before Neji looks around. How about some tea?"

He took off not checking to see if she followed him. Chizue stood- she knew he was right. She was too late and it wouldn't be good for her singular friendship if she was caught spying. She took off after Shino- tea sounded good.

* * *

Shino landed outside his favorite tea shop, had he not had his insects he would never have known Chizue landed behind him. He was intrigued- he hadn't really expected her to follow him- most people didn't. He motioned to her and headed to a table in a back corner.

Chizue followed him into the shop- intrigued how he had known she was there. She knew this tea shop well. It had quickly become her favorite during her time in the Leaf. In all honesty, they had better tea here than in the Sand. She nodded to a waitress who she knew- she would bring Chizue her favorite mix of lavender, chamomile, and honey. She sat opposite Shino- tucking her knees to the side with her dress. She studied Shino. Out of the shadows of the woods and facing him- she was able to identify why he had known she was there. The seagreen jacket, high collar, and shades were classic of those in the Aburame clan. His insects would have alerted him to her chakra. She was sure she hadn't seen this particular member before though. The waitress brought her tea and took Shino's order- white tea. They both sat in silence while waiting on his tea.

Shino studied her as well. He was surprised to see someone so quiet and pale from the Sand. Those he had met during the chunin exams and on missions seemed hardened and used to the sun- she seemed like she didn't belong. Her lopsided silver bob, undercut, and blue stripe matched the harsh lines he had expected but not the colors. Her dress was black, flowy and seemed like it would blow aggressively in the Land of Wind. By looking he couldn't guess what skills she possessed. Her pouches seemed too small to carry large quantities of weapons or scrolls- meaning she likely used Jutsu. Her large brown eyes contrasted with her hair and, despite her clear efforts- betrayed some emotions buried deep.

Once Shino had his tea they both sipped quietly before he finally spoke, "So what brings a sand ninja to the leaf?"

She sipped her tea, her mission wasn't secret, but still to ask seemed a bit out-of-bounds. "The Hokage requested a guest teacher and the Kazekage sent me. You haven't been in the village in the past month."

Shino kept his face passive, "Missions kept me away- perhaps if I had been here…" He trailed off clearly thinking of Tenten. He quickly spoke up, trying to hide it, "I suppose if you're helping then introductions are in order- I'm Shino."

Chizue was a bit surprised at his introduction. She hadn't necessarily taken this tea for a friendly event- the Leaf continued to surprise her- but her Ice Release was still secret.

"Chizue." she felt some compassion for him- after all, he had also been rejected. She realized she wasn't sure who he had been after. She smiled a bit warily, "I don't think we could have stopped them- they were together when I met her."

Shino blinked under his shades, he hadn't expected them both to be interested in Tenten. Still, it was mostly a suspicion. He sighed and looked at his tea, "I never expected Neji to make a move toward anyone- I suppose it isn't too surprising she chose him. They're on the same team."

It was Chizue's turn to blink- teams play into romance? She couldn't believe it- her teammates had not wanted her there- and she had worked hard to become Jonin so she could work alone. Something about their mutal heartbreak made her trust Shino, "Your teams seem different than mine was then. I never saw someone in the Sand as kind as Tenten."

Shino nodded in agreement, "She's special. Reminiscing on it won't change what's happened. We'll have to move on."

The sat in silence for several minutes while they finished their tea. Chizue finished first and placed enough on the table to cover both of their orders. She stood- unsure of where she was going to go. Shino nodded his thanks and stood as well. He stuck his hands in his pockets. He was tired of being alone- and had hoped today would change it. "So what are you teaching?"

Chizue eyed him a bit, but perked up- she was proud of her skills. "Chakra points and needle fighting." she paused for a second- a solution to her day slowly forming, she smiled warmly "I could use some exercise- what if we train for a bit? I know you just got back but I'm curious about your insects."

Shino raised an eyebrow- observant if she figured it out. He nodded his agreement and followed her out of the store and to the training grounds.

* * *

Chizue and Shino were both breathing heavily on opposite sides of the clearing. They had been fighting for close to an hour with a combination of taijutsu and their abilites- but not Ice. Shino had to admit she was good- he wondered what rank she held. He also sensed her holding back, "Chizue- you don't have to keep avoiding hurting my insects. I agreed to train. I can handle your full strength."

She watched him carefully- trying to judge what he knew. She had been holding back. Her needles wouldn't take out many insects- but she didn't want to kill them all off. If they were like summoned creatures then she suspected the handler to be emotionally attached to them. She smiled, "I was trying to be nice- I figured you liked your insects enough to not want me to hurt them. But if you insist."

Shino smiled, small lines by his eyes giving him away. Underneath the quiet she had some sass. He nodded once and readied for her next move. Chizue shifted her stance and weaponry- up till now she had been using her needles but she was curious how he would respond to a mixed attack. She reached for her right pouch and grabbed three kunai.

* * *

As the months passed, Chizue stayed in the Leaf. She was proud of her students and continued to grow her friendship with Shino. They spent time chatting between his missions, training and drinking tea. She never fully opened up to him though. The negative was the time she spent with Tenten. Her friendship with her continued to grow too. With it she found herself falling for Tenten. She knew Shino was too. The two rejected ninja spent time together in solidarity- both content to put Tenten's happiness with Neji over their own feelings. Chizue never showed either of them her Kekkei Genkai. Despite her friends easing her loneliness- she still felt isolated. At least in her village, everyone knew her abilities. Her friendships here felt false- like a substitution or clone of herself.

She had just finished class for the day when she sensed something flash past. She looked around closely. Suddenly the village rocked. A member of black-ops appeared in front of her, "Lady Tsunade would like to see you." She nodded and turned and headed to the Hokage. She kept her eyes peeled and saw ninja herding academy students and civilians toward the stone faces. She appeared in Tsunade's office.

She bowed respectfully, "Lady Hokage. You summoned?"

Tsunade had several other high ranking ninja in attendance. Her back was to them, "The village is under attack. Reports say it's the Akatsuki member Pain. Leaf Jonin are in charge of managing the lower levels and stopping it. Chizue, I have permission from the Kazekage for you to help us in times of crisis as long as you consent."

Chizue looked out over the village, it had become her home away from home. She couldn't imagine it being in danger and her disappearing. A determined look set on her face, "Of course Lady Hokage."

Tsunade's face was invisible to them, "Dismissed except Chizue."

Chizue felt a sinking feeling. Why had the Hokage asked her to stay?

Tsunade turned and set her hands on her desk- looking over the paperwork. "For strategies sake, I may have to reveal your kekkei genkai- if you need to use it you have full permission. I will try to keep it as quiet as possible. I've noticed you've made friends- I do not know if they know but I hope your training sessions with them were productive. Dismissed."

Chizue groaned internally- but in truth if it was the Akatsuki she would likely need to use it. She could fight without it- but she made jonin and black ops with it. She nodded and disappeared.

The fight ensued and Chizue went where she could- never using it and looking for Shino. She hoped Tenten and Team Guy would return soon so they could help. She used her basic skills to help evacuate villagers and children. She spotted beetles and ran toward the spot- hoping it was Shino.

She was relieved to see he was okay- but quickly realized that the battle wasn't in their favor. She gasped at the number of clones appearing and got a sinking feeling. She landed behind Shino and watched his back straighten as his beetles alerted him to her presence. In time with the Aburame clan she threw several needles toward the clones. As the first clone exploded she acted instinctively- a dome of ice covered the clan. She thanked her stars she had learned how to create fireproof ice. The explosion rocked it though. As it died down she lowered it to reveal Konan emerging from the flames. She aimed poisoned ice needles at Konan. Despite their rapid flight Konan blocked them and dodged. Konan quickly faded into paper and left. Chizue was left alone with the Aburame members.

Shino and his family turned to look at her. She met his eyes briefly- and realized that she couldn't stand the pain of losing him. A tear ran down her face and she jumped and left.

Shino meant to follow her but felt a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. He stood there shaken for a moment- who was she really? He followed his family to continue trying to save the village. He wanted to find her but it had to wait.

Chizue helped as she could- using her ice as she could to immobilize opponents or try to hit chakra points. She found herself accidentally tracking Shino. She was several blocks behind him when the blast hit. She screamed his name and tried to reach him but was forced back. She surrounded herself in ice to try and protect herself. She had vehemently refused Katsuyu- insisting that her efforts be focused on Leaf ninja. Her ice had created a crevice for her but she could only raise her arms enough to try and push against the rock. She was worried about bringing it down on herself though. No one knew she was there- She summoned ice pillars to make sure it wouldn't come crashing down on her while she waited in the dark. She worked to calm her panic and was left alone with her thoughts.

Why had she been tailing Shino? She knew from experience that he didn't want anything to do with her anymore. In the past, she had simply let her friends go. But this felt different. She suddenly realized that if the village had been destroyed then there was no guarantee he was alive. Her heart clenched violently and a sob escaped her throat- no, surely he wasn't dead. She tried to fight back the tears but they refused to stop. She couldn't believe he might be dead- it hurt more than him hating her. She finally caved to the crying. Her heart hurt like she had never experienced before.

Shino thanked Katsuyu after emerging from the debris. He glanced around- happy to see his family safe. He was sure he had heard his name before being buried. He had a sinking feeling something bad had happened and was very thankful that Tenten was gone on a mission. Despite his clan's disapproval he struggled to breathe at the thought of Chizue injured, "Katsuyu do you know where Chizue of the Sand is?"

Katsuyu sighed she didn't want to tell him the extent her chakra had saved the village- Chizue was likely dead. "I'm sorry she refused my help. She told me to only help the Leaf. Everyone was hit with debris."

Shino's heart stopped- he brushed it aside as concern for his friend. He sent beetles out and breathed a sigh when one found her. Before his family could stop him he left to look for her. He found the spot and carefully began removing rubble. He found ice coating one large piece of a wall. She had kept it from caving in on herself. He almost stopped- Ice was supposed to be cursed. His heart jumped though- if she had braced the wall- she was alive at some point.

"Chizue can you hear me? Do you have energy to help me?" Anxiety laced his voice, he wasn't sure what answer he actually wanted.

Chizue had quieted her tears as she realized the debris was crushing her pillars. She had to focus energy on constantly reconstructing the pillars keeping her alive. She was going to use up all her chakra at this rate. As she heard the rocks shifting she simply had to hope that it was someone rescuing her and not something about to crush her. She had to reserve chakra- with regret she stopped feeding the pillars, "_Shino, Tenten- You made this village home- I'm sorry I couldn't protect it." _she thought and closed her eyes trying to save her strength. She heard her name and once again her heart skipped a beat. _Shino. _

She mustered, "Shino! I'm here. I'm out of chakra- I'm sorry."

She heard an indistinct yell and felt footsteps shifting through the debris. Muffled sounds of an argument reached her. The wall shifted above her and finally moved- she closed and blinked against the daylight she was suddenly exposed to. She blinked and focused to see Shino and another Aburame. The secondary one turned silently and went to help others. Shino reached out his hand to help her up. She started to reach up and hesitated. Shino was so happy to see her alive that, without thinking, he closed the gap and grasped her hands and hauled her to her feet. She clung to him and allowed him to help her to a safe spot before collapsing. She was shaking and felt something slimy touch her- she nodded to Katsuyu- she needed help.

Shino stood over her like a guardian. Watching Naruto begin his fight with Pain. The two watched with concern while Katsuyu narrated what was happening and restored Chizue's chakra. She looked over at Shino's feet and tried to contain herself from crying again. Tears broke free and she quietly cried over his safety- even more so over his willingness to save her. Naruto's Nine Tail scream roused her and she watched as he lost it. Katsuyu quickly explained what had happened. She admitted a sigh of relief when the Nine Tails moved away. Shino tensed and Chizue looked closer- Tenten was back. Her heart was happy for her friend but it was accompanied by an ache toward Shino. She blinked back fresh tears.

Katsuyu whispered from her shoulder, "You love him don't you? I'm sorry but our chakras are connected right now."

Chizue's eyes went wide. Love? That was for ninjas with nothing else to do- not for cursed assassin/teachers. She felt him shift and realized that it explained all of the odd emotions that had coursed through her today. She loved Shino. With this realization, she realized that her feelings for Tenten- while genuine and pure- were not as complete as the love she had developed for Shino. It had nothing to do with gender- she was sure that she was capable of loving anyone- but Shino's personality and presence meshed better. With this realization she felt her heart break a second time- He clearly still loved Tenten. She continued to cry while staring blankly forward.

Shino's body tensed as he saw Tenten- they weren't out of danger yet. He realized quickly though that his heart didn't skip, something had shifted in his feelings. He looked down to consider the kunoichi next to him, "_She's crying? Why?" _He followed her apparent gaze, "_Tenten. She still loves her. I can't catch a break." _His heart shifted again and he sat heavily next to her.

He continued to watch the epicenter of the blast with anxiety. He realized how powerful Chizue's kekkei genkai was, and why she had hidden it. She clearly hadn't expected anyone to save her. He glanced down at her, "Chizue. We can't help them, but we can talk."

She jumped a bit and looked down at his voice. She didn't know why he had saved her, maybe he was just that nice. He certainly wasn't obligated to stay by her. She started to apologize when Shino cut her off, "I know why you didn't tell me. Your clan has been shunned for generations, for the very gift that saved my clan today. People don't like me and view me as creepy- yet you had no problem befriending me. Your personality is not dictated by your gifts. I know why you ran too. I do wish you hadn't. And it certainly wasn't smart to deny Katsuyu- granted you couldn't have known he was going to blow up the village. Anyway, I'm still your friend Chizue."

Fresh tears of pain and joy flowed down her face. How was he still friends with her? The Leaf surely was strange. She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath, "Shino… No one has ever stayed friends with me or helped me once they found out. It's a curse. Useful- but still a curse. Before you decide to be my friend- you know I'm Jonin- but I was black-ops before being sent here. Lady Tsunade has my portfolio- but the point is I did things most ninja don't have to do. I hated it but it was my job. "

Shino touched her shoulder, cutting her off, "You are a shinobi, we've all done things we didn't want to but had to. I don't need details. I need your friendship."

Chizue scolded herself for crying more. This kindness was unheard of amongst her peers. "Thank you, Shino."

* * *

Chizue and Shino sat next to each other in the mess tent. Tenten and Neji sat a few seats away with Hinata. They had been assigned different units and tonight was the last night the Allied Shinobi Forces had with their peers for awhile. Chizue and Neji had been assigned to the second division, Shino to the fifth, and Tenten to the first. Chizue was feeling bittersweet, this could very well be the last time that she drank tea with her friends. She debated telling Shino her feelings, but it would make this seem too real. She had respected Tenten's unspoken wish to spend the time with Neji. They had spent their time as friends- yet Chizue was painfully aware of the feelings Tenten was going through. After tonight they might never see the ones they loved again.

She finally spoke, "Shino… I want you to make a pact with me- that we don't look for each other on the battlefield should our units come together. We won't need any distractions and if Pain's attack was any clue- our friendship would dictate we try to look for each other."

Shino was surprised at her words, but he had had a similar thought- he had almost lost her once- he didn't think he could stand to do so again. He knew her feelings were rooted in friendship but the sentiment was similar- watching your friends die wasn't on his to do list either. He glanced over and met her eyes- they always startled him when she was serious and intense. "Alright Zue, I agree. But you must make my pact as well- to fight your hardest. Use your gift- war is not a time to care what your comrades think."

Chizue's heart fizzled, she had half hoped he would decline, but in truth, this was better. She could not bear to think of losing him again. She put up a brave smile though, "Don't worry Kazekage and my mother already sent me strongly worded letters about it. I agree- I'll hit the gates running- we don't have much choice."

As the night wore on, neither of them wished to part. To her surprise, Neji and Tenten came over. Both with kind words and instructions to go to bed. Shino and Chizue couldn't argue with them. They awkwardly said their goodbyes.

The next morning Chizue joined Neji and her old teammates in Division 2. She wasn't quite sure why they had placed her here- but she was resolved to make herself useful. She kicked herself for not telling Shino how she felt. She shoved those feelings aside and rallied with her comrades.

* * *

Chizue was breathing heavily. Despite the ice in her hands and around her, she could feel the beads of sweat running down her face. These Zetsu were endless. But she had held them at bay so far. No one was fighting with her- and honestly, it was the way she preferred it. But her chakra was quickly draining after hours of fighting the enemy. Another wave surrounded her, She had resorted to large- clumsy attacks rather than her preference for needles. Around her back, she set up another barrier with sharp spikes that impaled the zetsu. She quickly melted it so that she wouldn't be backed into a corner. She quickly began impaling other Zetsu with her ice needles- targeting both chakra points and vitals. She spun gracefully and landed a kick square against another Zetsu. She had heard that reinforcements from the 5th were coming and she had to continually fight the urge to look for Shino. She did briefly wonder when those reinforcements would arrive. She sweated through and fought off this wave. She looked over to see Akada, an old teammate, surrounded. Akada was trying actively to use his sword skills and jutsu to keep them contained- but he was their sensory type. "_He shouldn't have been sent here._" she thought stubbornly to herself. Nonetheless, she joined him and once again used a large, spiked, barrier to keep back the enemy.

She heard Akada growl angrily, "I don't need your help outsider."

Chizue froze briefly as Akada took another swing. She resigned herself to helping him anyway. She knew Akada had had a rough start to life- but he didn't deserve to die when she could help him. She heard a yelp and refocused- Akada had been sliced across the abdomen and was likely almost out of chakra. She switched modes- quickly surrounding Akada in a dome of spiked ice. The time it cost caused her to have to retreat mid-jutsu to avoid an attack. The hoard that had surrounded Akada was now targeting her. She growled and went into action.

She thought she had gained a foothold when she felt a strong kick send her flying into the air. She cursed herself- this was bad- it felt like broken ribs and maybe a puncture. Another kick landed in her lower spine and she felt it crunch. She was almost out of chakra and in pain. She reached into her pack and withdrew metal kunai and hurled them downward taking out several more Zetsu. She realized as she fell that there were too many. She made a decision to keep her promise to Shino- she would go out full force. She pulled up her last remaining chakra and wove the signs to send a hail storm of ice needles onto the Zetsu below. She smiled with satisfaction as she watched all of them collapse- then she blacked out.

* * *

Shino had broken his promise to Chizue. He wasn't sure why but he simply had to know if she fell in battle- he couldn't take the wondering. Before they had left the table- he discreetly sent two of his females to reside with her. If she died the insects were to return to him. If they sensed him on the battlefield one was to return and the other was to stay. He had known within moments that she was still fighting. He had systematically worked his way toward her as he fought. He had no intention of intervening, but he had to be close for his own peace of mind. He felt guilty about it up until the moment he saw her flying through the air.

He was in awe of the gracefulness she seemed to display as she used it to her advantage- but he also didn't miss the force of the kick and the cough of blood she let out with each kick. He fought his way to her- determined to be with her. He was forced to step back as the ice rained down. It suddenly stopped and melted along with the dome protecting Akada. Shino sprung forward and managed to catch her before she hit the ground. He held her and felt tears sting his cheeks. At dinner, he had finally realized his feelings were love- and now it was going to be stripped away. He looked at Akada who was breathing heavily and trying to manage the wound. He carried Chizue to him and put her broken body beside him. A huge swarm of insects surrounded him as he stared intently at Akada. He matched the description Chizue had given him- at any rate he was clearly from the sand.

It was Shino's turn to growl, "She saved you now watch over her."

Akada had the distinct feeling Shino knew exactly who he was and grasped his sword tighter. Shino guided two streams of beetles toward the injured ninja- letting his beetles take his chakra to give to them. With this tether, he turned and faced the remaining Zetsu- stoically mowing them down. As it died down he caught the eye of others beginning to gather the injured. He turned and gingerly picked up Chizue as one of the other sand shinobi helped Akada to his feet. He broke his tether with Akada- adding those beetles to the ones swarming around Chizue.

Shino carried her all the way to Skaura. As Sakura began tending to her Shino finally broke. He held her hand and cried freely-refusing to leave. Sakura was a bit taken aback. She had known they were close but she had never seen Shino show such emotion. She didn't have time to worry- only Shino's chakra transfer had kept Chizue alive.

Upon blacking out Chizue had entered an odd state where she was alone. It didn't feel final, but she could tell she was on the edge. She couldn't move but at least there was no pain here. Tears formed as she thought of her friends. She would've liked to see Tenten and Neji get married, finally tell Shino how she felt, and maybe her old team would be more agreeable now that she had saved Akada. Their faces flashed before her. Akada and Nazuna glared at her and turned their backs. Tenten appeared with a smile and determination. Shino seemed to be calling her name though. Concern painted his face and his voice sounded weird. She tried to reach out to him but felt a weight on her hand. She felt tears, "Shino, I'm sorry I can't move…"

His distorted voice seemed to become clearer, pleading with her to try and fight. She felt tears and kept her eyes on him. Finally she managed to move a finger. She felt someone else's excitement course through her and Shino's voice stopped. His face grew clearer though. She suddenly felt as if she was solid, her eyes felt scratchy and she blinked.

As she opened them the vision of Shino was replaced with the red glow of light through closed eyelids. She tried to take stock of herself, "_Am I alive? How?" _She tried to spread awareness through herself. She felt the warmth and light pressure of hands moving around her abdomen. She felt a weight and slight movement around her left hand. The weight squeezed her hand causing her to panic slightly. She groggily opened her eyes and looked to her left. She felt happiness and relief flow through the chakra on her abdomen. However, she was solely focused on the hooded figure who's shaking hand clutched hers.

Her voice came out weak and dry, "Shi..no."

His head shot up and around his shades were tear stains though he had stopped crying. He just stared at her in disbelief. Moments before Sakura had told him it might be days before she woke up. More surprisingly to him she had said his name first and only. She had not looked to the person looming over her healing her- she had found him. He tried to form words but he had too many emotions. He had been trying to prepare himself for her death and yet here Chizue was, staring at him with those huge brown eyes.

Chizue squeezed his fingers, and spoke a bit stronger, "How are you here?"

She very much knew this was real- but him here- upset over her seemed like a nightmare or a dream. She watched him pale and let go of her hand. She felt a pang as the physical contact left. She watched in surprise as he spoke brokenly with a tear escaping, "I'm sorry Chizue- I couldn't keep my part of the pact. I sent some of my insects with you to alert me if you... If you died. When we were sent to help one of them came to get me. I saw you fighting- and the Zetsu- I couldn't leave you like that. You kept your part of our agreements. You took out probably 10 in that final fight."

Tears stung her eyes again, but the shaky breath she had to take to inhale quickly made her grimace and fight back the tears. She heard Sakura's voice telling her to be calm. She knew she was going to pass out again if she kept moving, but she had things she needed to say. If she had been able to be taken down- Tenten might be in danger too- Shino needed to check on her. She felt a pang in her chest unrelated to the injuries.

She took a slower shallow breath, "Shino- it's okay. You always seem to find me." breath, "She needs you too. I'll be fine. Go."

Sakura cleared her throat, "I've healed what I can but you're out of commission for at least a week with these wounds." she picked up a chart, "five broken ribs, most internal organs damaged, punctured lung on your right side. Damage to your spine- that may be permanent. You need to rest- we'll move you shortly after we get some fluids in you with some pain management."

Chizue knew the damage depended solely on her body's ability to rehabilitate and heal. She was out of the war. She turned to Shino again and fought back another grimace of pain, "See? I'll be okay. Leave your insects to send you a message if I'm not. You can go."

Shino gathered himself- too tired and grateful for her life to argue with her. "I'll leave the two I assigned with you. They seem to like you. I'll make sure she's okay- don't worry."

As he left the tent fresh tears ran down her face. The pain in her body was trying to give her heart a run for it's money- she fought the blackness creeping around her vision.

Sakura eyed Chizue for a moment before coming over with pain meds. "You know you could've told him how you feel."

Chizue looked at her shocked for a moment and then sad, "He loves someone else. He can't have her but I know his primary concern is still her. Thank you Sakura for healing me."

Chizue's body was still on edge and the pain shot pushed her over the edge. Her vision blacked out again.

Sakura realized that he hadn't told her that he kept her alive. She glared out the tent flap. Sakura left Chizue with an attendant. She quickly caught up to Shino with determination flashing in her eyes. "Shino! Before you go you have to tell how you feel. I'm sure she loves you too."

Shino stood perfectly still facing Sakura, trying to process what had been was no way Chizue loved him- nobody did. In truth he wasn't really even friends with Tenten- it hadn't been anything more than a crush. But with Chizue it was different- and he didn't think he could stand outright rejection. It was true that after Pain's attack they had stopped discussing feelings- but that shouldn't have ended hers.

He placed his head in his hands, "Sakura, she doesn't. She told me to go and save the one she does love. I intend to do that. "

Sakura was tired and frustrated, she didn't really mean to slap Shino so hard he fell but she did. It shocked her and she knelt besides him to start healing the bruise that was forming, "Shino, you owe her the truth. This war isn't over but she can't go back out. You are responsible for her life- tell her the truth okay?"

Shino grimaced, his bruise still visible, and stood up, "Fine if it gets you to not hit me again."

He shuffled back to the tent with Sakura on his heels. He paused outside trying to think of what to say to her. He felt a hand push him forward and into the tent. His breath hitched again to see her still in so much pain. He could clearly see the bruising now around the bandages. Her whole right side was so purple it was close to black. He hated that Sakura was probably right- he owed her the truth. Chizue hadn't heard him enter, and he moved silently to her other side.

Chizue was disoriented as she came back too. She had closed her eyes to try and rest. She heard the rustle of the tent and figured it was Sakura. A warmth seemed to reappear and she opened her eyes to find Shino. She felt her heart lift somewhat before worry set in, "_Why is he back- what's happened?"_

He was surprised to see confusion and joy mixed in them. Her guards had come down with the close call. He met her eyes and swallowed forcefully. He felt like running but could still sense Sakura blocking the way out. Concern crossed Chizue's face, he had to tell her before he worried her too much, "Zue there's another reason I broke my promise. After Pain's attack I couldn't stand not knowing if you were okay. That day scared me. It took me longer than I'm proud of- but I finally realized why at that last dinner." he swallowed again, "I just… I always find you."

He stood beside her bed, hands clenched to his side, fighting every instinct to fly out of the tent. He was certain she would deny him. He realized he hadn't actually told her he loved her, but he couldn't get his voice to work. He watched her closely trying to discern her reaction.

Chizue stared at him in shock. This surely had to be a fever dream. She tried to reach up to grasp his hand but she couldn't get the strength. Her voice broke with tears, "Oh Shino I love you, I just wish this wasn't a dream."

Shino collapsed into the chair at her words and took her hand again, "Zue, it's real, I'm real. Sakura made me come back."

Chizue wanted so badly to believe it, and the sudden thumbs up that shot through the entryway was enough to convince her. She squeezed Shino's hand and tried to sit up. A bolt of pain forced her cringing and back onto the bed. He quickly tried to help soothe her- moving closer so she could see him better.

It was his turn again for concern to etch his face. He tentatively reached out his right hand to touch her face, "Shh. Just stay laying down. I'll be here."

Chizue breathed painfully for a moment, finding comfort in his warm hands. As the spasm passed she turned her head to meet his gaze. She simply nodded and smiled at him. Shino was still so new to this, and he couldn't really embrace her in this state. He pressed his forehead to hers fighting back tears. Chizue, however, was less patient. She strained her head slightly and tilted it back to slid her lips up and onto his.

Shino was surprised to feel her meet his lips. Time seemed frozen as his heart soared and warmth filled him. He cut it short, not wanting to strain her energy. He pressed his lips to her forehead thanking whatever power controlled love that he had saved her. He sat back down in the chair, smiling at her as her eyes remained closed. He realized she had finally slipped into sleep. He looked up at the sound of someone clearing their voice. Sakura was standing across from them.

"Shino, we need to move Chizue to a different tent. She's out of immediate danger now. I can give you a pass to stay with her." Sakura's exhaustion was beginning to show- but along with her determination.

Shino nodded and touched Chizue's face to wake her. Sakura quickly explained that they would move her on a stretcher- but that it was going to be rough. Chizue nodded in understanding and prepared herself to face the pain of moving. Sakura and another medical nin picked her up as gently as they could. She breathed shallowly with her teeth and eyes clenched. Shino watched anxiously with his hands twitching around the pole of the IV. He followed them to a smaller tent where they finally got her onto a comfortable bed. Sakura brought him a bedroll and he sat on it with one hand on hers and the other stroking back her silver hair.

Chizue felt like she had barely survived moving. The pain from the rough transfer had her almost sick. She didn't speak but focused solely on the sensation of Shino's hand on her forehead. She felt herself relax a bit as the meds Sakura had given her kicked in. She felt her brain go fuzzy and knew sleep was finally near. She opened her eyes to Shino looking down at her with his shades pushed up. The tent was dim in the evening light and she couldn't quite make out the shade of his eyes.

"I love you." She squeezed his hand before slipping into sleep. She didn't hear him tell her the same. He dozed with his hand never leaving hers. Occasionally she stirred but the meds kept her asleep. He awoke to chaos outside. He lowered his shades and stepped out to find a White Zetsu lying dead in the middle of the camp. He begrudgingly left Chizue to help fight the infiltration.


End file.
